


The Howling

by Cupcakemolotov



Series: Dance with the Devil [27]
Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 18:33:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14142033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cupcakemolotov/pseuds/Cupcakemolotov
Summary: Caroline's day goes from bad to worse to insane in a matter of moments.





	The Howling

Caroline swallowed, back braced against the alley wall. Flicking her tongue against her blood stained lips, she gave herself a moment to breathe through the blood lust. The last few months had been hell - Katherine killing her, the nightmares about Damon, her friends plotting to kill her - but she was determined to do this. So what if her mom had temporarily kicked her out of the house? They’d eventually worked that out, and while her mom didn’t approve, didn’t understand the changes Caroline was going through, Liz hadn’t tried to stake her yet. Or poison her with vervain.

Caroline was taking that as a positive, right then. But this was hard - so damn hard. It wasn’t that eating people made her stomach turn - although she felt guilty about that lack - but how damn delicious they were. People tasted like… like heaven; the smooth touch of chocolate, the lingering flavor of a good wine. Panic, adrenaline made them even sweeter. She assumed that was the predator under her skin, and while her life had become a fucked up version of The National Geographic for Monsters, she was starting to forgive herself for being good at it.

Because she was going to be good at living. She was done with being the victim. Katherine and Damon had carved and twisted her life to their whims, had used her for their own gain. And her so-called friends…

Well, that was life. She knew how shitty life could be and she’d never let that stop her before. Just because she’d moved from human to nightmare didn’t mean she could curl up in a ball and give up.

“So, your Katerina’s little pre-made sacrifice.” The accented voice cut through the air, and Caroline twisted, staring at the creature that watched her from the opening to the alley. Saw his gaze flick to her meal before returning to her.

“Not going to finish him, love?”

There were only so many people wandering Mystic Falls with an accent, much less with tousled curls and eyes that could cut. Her stomach knotted painfully - she knew all to well how easily older vampires could hurt her. This one was especially dangerous if what she’d caught Elena and Bonnie jabbering about said anything. She’d avoided the sacrifice and the horror that had nearly left Elena dead, simply because her mother had made her promise not to leave the house until she’d proven she wouldn’t eat anyone.

Damon had tried to demand her help right up until Liz pulled him aside and threatened him. Caroline hadn’t minded spending a week alone - not after everything else - but her mother’s lack of trust stung hard.

And now this.

Caroline licked her lips, but stayed where she was. No point in running from this one. He’d just enjoy the chase.

“You’re Klaus.”

Klaus arched a brow, strolled over to where she was standing. The human she’d fed on was staring blankly at the wall next to her, heartbeat slow. Caroline had intended to feed him a little blood, send him back inside once she’d gotten a grip on her monster. Instead, Klaus casually reached forward, plunged his head into her meal’s chest and removed his heart.

Caroline’s heart skipped.

“Interesting that you know me, when I’ve rarely seen you around.” Klaus commented before he bit into the squishy organ. Caroline swallowed and looked away, gums burning a little. She figured that was his point; this is how easily I can kill you, this is how I’ll eat you. With gulping bites that leave you smeared on skin and fangs, until nothing is left.

Caroline had no idea what to make of the bloody hand that was suddenly in her line of vision, the unexpected heat of him pressed against her arm. She could feel her gaze darken, felt the veins rush to her eyes as her fangs edged down. For a moment her head swam - blood, the hot flesh between his fingers, the inexplicable way her entire body burned at his offering.

“Interested in a bite, love?”

Caroline could almost taste it - that warm, mangled flesh; she could imagine how sweet it would be on her tongue. Instead, she took a slow breath and shook her head, stepping away from the temptation he was offering her.

“Thank you, but no.” Caroline said in her best polite voice, blinking back her monster before she turned. “I’ll stick to the liquid parts.”

Klaus watched her from slightly narrowed eyes as he finished his snack and Caroline had no control regarding the way she watched him lick his fingers clean. She felt flushed, and the knowing curve of his lips should have mortified her, but she refused. In the thousand years he’d been alive, she was hardly the first he’d played with.

“Did you want something?” Caroline finally asked, spine carefully straight. “Or were you just needing a snack?”

He smiled with double fangs and yellow eyes. “Not going to run?”

“Would it do any good?” Caroline asked, hating the slight catch to her voice.

Klaus laughed and stalked closer, crowding against her body. She kept still - fighting incited the predator; Damon was one thing, Klaus was far more terrifying - and he tugged at one of her curls. “Bravado is tiring, little love.”

Caroline swallowed carefully. Met his golden gaze. “And what could I do if you decided to kill me?”

That smile widened and a pit opened behind his eyes that left her heart thudding in terror. She knew he could smell it from the way his lashes narrowed and his chest expanded with an unnecessary breath.

“Make me an offer.” Klaus suggested, dimples bracketing that nightmare smile. “What is your life worth?”

Caroline wanted to live. Oh, how she wanted to live. Staring at death, she licked her lips and shook her head. The ancient nightmare crowding her space… paused.

“No?”

“If you want me dead, you’ll kill me,” Caroline said through numb lips. “So, no.”

Klaus stared at her, face unreadable as his bloody fingers wound about a curl. To Caroline’s surprise, the hybrid’s face slowly returned human, but he didn’t move away.

“Interesting,” he murmured. Head tilted, he brought her curl to his lips, and hummed a noise that left her nipples tight behind her bra. “Why?”

“Why what?” Caroline questioned, voice a little ragged. Was this a vampire thing - reacting so strongly to a predator who outclassed you on every level? She’d certainly never responded like this to Damon and Stefan, and they’d been much more explicit in their threats.

“Why refuse my generosity?” Klaus questioned. “You’re a newborn, barely a breath into your existence and here you are, ignoring a chance to make a deal that could benefit you for centuries.”

Caroline fisted her hand in her skirt, refused to flinch at the unspoken threat to his words. Old Caroline would have given him whatever he wanted. Monster Caroline knew there were some things she couldn’t live with. Bending to anyone, letting anyone have that power over her willingly was one of them.

“There’s no bargain with you that could benefit me.”

Klaus tugged on her hair and that little bite of pain sent a surprising fissure through her blood. She narrowed her eyes, refused to show her surprise; blood left her horny, that was the only explanation for why he was affecting her. She didn’t find threats attractive.

“Now, that’s not true.”

“You broke your curse, made your hybrids,” Caroline returned, voice flat. “I’ve done the threatening sex thing once, so I’ll pass on that a second time.”

Both of his brows arched. “Your assuming I’m interested in bedding you.”

“Then let go of my hair.” Caroline challenged, hardly surprise as he merely twisted more around around his hand.

The sudden, boyish smile threw her off balance. “I like your spine. Do you know I used to think that there was nothing worse than having a part of me locked away. The kind of emotional betrayal to hate what your child represents so much you need to squash it at the roots? That kind of rage, it sits in your chest, claws at your lungs.”

Caroline said nothing. What could she say? She’d had her problems, but being hunted by family for a thousand years? She’d no comparison.

“I was wrong.”

Wary, she eyed him. “Look, I’m sure your backstory is… a lot. But I’m also sure when the monster starts getting personal with his victims, they end up dead.”

He let her hair slide free of his hand, tucked the blood streaked curl carefully behind her ear. “Oh, I’ve considered killing you. For weeks now, I’ve caught the lingering scent of your skin, watched you move carefully about this wretched town.”

Caroline blinked, pressing back against the wall. There was no good response to being told a monster was stalking you. What was she supposed to say?

“You’re such a delicate little thing - regardless of your iron spine; it’d take so little effort to snuff you out.” He stared at her, eyes feral and glimmering wolf-gold; Caroline dug her nails into the brick behind her. She wouldn’t flinch at death - not when she’d already felt it sit in her bones once.

“Not all of us can be a thousand years old,” Caroline said carefully, when it became apparent that he wanted a response. She froze as his hand dragged down between her breasts. Klaus watched her from beneath his lashes, palm and fingers splayed across her sternum.

“Who taught you to hunt?” Klaus asked abruptly.

Caroline blinked at him. “What?”

“Who taught you to hunt?” Klaus repeated, head canting to the side. “You didn’t use compulsion until you needed him to be still.”

“Do you always interrogate people before you eat them?” Caroline replied, spine straight.

“Depends on the vampire, love. I don’t bother to talk to prey,” Klaus eyes narrowed. “So I can understand Katerina’s apathy, as she wanted you for a bargaining chip. But I would have thought the Salvatore brothers…”

Caroline flinched. She was standing in front of most dangerous creature she’d ever met, his hand pressed against her chest - and it was Damon and Stefan Salvatore that scared her. There was absolutely no logic behind it, but the longer the heat of his palm pressed into her skin, the less anxious she felt.

Even watching the wolf crawl back into his eyes, sharp glimmers of yellow, didn’t lead to panic.

“Tell me.”

Caroline compressed her lips, suddenly uncertain. That sounded like rage. That made no sense.

“Caroline,” his voice lowered, darkened. “I don’t like repeating myself.”

“I didn’t like the whole bunny eating system, okay? The whole fur thing - ick. And I’ve seen Stefan fight, he’s not bad at it, but Damon definitely won and I don’t think that’s particularly because of skill. He’s more of the bully type, picking on people who are weaker than him and…”

Caroline inhaled sharply as his hand slid to her breast, the heat of him searing through her shirt and bra. But what was worse was the suddenly proprietary grip on her ass, the way he pressed her up against him, nose in her hair.

The way she really wanted to press closer.

“Okay,” Caroline breathed out, voice shaky. “I don’t usually let people grope me, terror for my life or not.”

“My wolf wants to feed you,” Klaus ground out in her ear. “Lick along the salt of your skin until you beg, slick and wet with welcome. Soothe you until you no longer tremble in fear but pleasure.”

“That doesn’t explain anything,” Caroline choked out, body vibrating in agreement with his words. He didn’t need to lick her to leave her uncomfortably damp. Every nerve in her body had caught fire at his statement.

His hand squeezed her breast, rubbed the fabric of her Demi-cup against her sensitive nipple until she moaned. He made a pleased noise, hand sliding down to her hip.

“Nature is always trying to correct itself,” Klaus said finally, lifting his head to look at her. The expression behind his gaze - lust, possession, greed - was tempered only by the starkness of his expression. The frustration of his posture. The dichotomy of his actions were leaving her off balance.

“Always ensuring a weakness to exploited.”

“I thought you were impossible to kill,” Caroline said bewildered, trying to not squirm under his eyes or press her thighs together.

“Yes.” His eyes glittered, lips parting as his tongue snaked across his bottom lip. “So nature decided to give me something I’d hate to lose.”

Her breath hitched in her throat. Klaus’s jaw flexed as he watched her, and she shook her head. “What could you covet, want more than what you’ve just gained?”

“What do you know about werewolf mates, Caroline?” Klaus murmured, his fingers squeezing lightly against her ass, her hip.

Caroline swallowed, stared at him. “Just that they have them.”

“For a thousand years I’ve scoffed, and ripped lovers apart. Fate had no chance to dig her fingers into my chest, tug at places long dead.” Klaus lips curled, a snarl of frustration echoing between them.

Caroline remained quiet, her heart pounding. He couldn’t… couldn’t possibly be alluding to her. That was impossible. She was a vampire and… her frantic thoughts short circuited when Klaus leaned close, his nose brushing down the column of her throat.

“It feels like a spike in your chest - grinding your lungs and bones until you suffocate on your own blood.” Klaus breathed, lips brushing her skin. “This consuming need to touch, to protect - this bloody useless connection.”

“I’m not your mate,” Caroline blurted, needing him to confirm that she was wrong.

He kissed the hollow of her throat. Caroline gasped at the slow stroke of his tongue; the way he pressed their hips together. The lingering, uneasy heat in her veins ignited to a burn that left hands fisted in his shirt.

Klaus lifted his head from her neck, watched her from eyes gone dark. “I came here to kill you. To wipe the leverage against me off the planet.”

Caroline closed her eyes, tried to center herself. Because God, she wasn’t pushing him away. She wasn’t fighting the slow stroke of him. Here Klaus was telling her he thought she was his honest-to-God-Mate, that he’d planned to kill her, and she just wanted to kiss him. To press her lips against his and see if she could make him moan.

“I’m can’t be your mate.”

Klaus snorted and his hand slid up her thigh. Caroline’s lips parted with a moan as his knuckles rubbed against the crotch of her panties, her hips rolling without her permission. He made low noise of approval that went straight to her gut.

“Caroline - you’ve been wet for me since I offered you the heart of your prey.” Klaus watched her from eyes gone feral. “You didn’t run.”

Leaning back against the wall for support, she bit down in her lip, tried not to moan as he increased the pressure between her thighs. “You would’ve… oh, God - caught me.”

Klaus made another low noise. “Yes. I would have run you to the ground and buried my cock inside you; forced you on hands and knees.”

Biting her lip hard as his hand stilled, she forced herself to meet and hold his gaze. “I’m not prey.”

“No,” he said finally. Klaus sighed, and the grinding tenderness behind his eyes shook her. “I’m a monster, not an animal starved for affection. You should know, the wolf wants to soak in your scent, to chase you through the woods, to lay claim.”

Caroline licked her lips. “The wolf?”

“How does a man prepare for the clawing need of an animal locked away from his soul for centuries?” He reached up with his free hand and stroked her cheek. “I was completely unprepared for you.”

Caroline shook her head, eyes wary. “Look, you’re still really new to this werewolf business, right? I’m pretty sure you’ve got it wrong. I haven’t been a vampire for all that long, but the likelihood of you conveniently finding a mate are not so great.”

“Yes,” Klaus agreed. “Which is why the local witch population in oh, a hundred miles or so has been eliminated.”

Caroline stared at him. He smoothed his fingers down her jaw. “Do you understand Caroline, how close you came to dying? How strongly I was tempted to remove this hummingbird’s heart of yours, to taste the sweetness of your life’s blood between my teeth?”

“Why didn’t you?” Caroline asked raggedly. “Why let me live?”

Klaus shoved her panties aside, two long fingers sliding into the hot clasped of her, his thumb stroking her clit. Caroline moaned heavily, knees faltering and he hooked one thigh over his hip, pressing her into the wall as he slowly explored her.

“You were abandoned by your sire, cut off from your friends and nearly disowned by your mother.” He licked her neck, kissed up to her ear and used his teeth in a way that left her moaning, hands digging in heavily into his shoulders. “I’ve watched you struggle, fight for your right to live.”

How was she supposed to think, with the slow push and pull of his fingers? That soft, fleeting touch against her clit? Digging her nails into his arms until she heard cloth give, and smelled his blood, she forced her eyes open.

“I don’t want your pity.”

He laughed, and bit the cords of her neck with blunt teeth as his fingers curved inside her. Her orgasm hit her, washed through her in a unexpected wave of bliss. Shuddering around his hand, she struggled to catch her breath. To peel herself away from where she’d leaned against him. Klaus made no move to push her away, instead he brought damp fingers to his lips and licked them clean.

“You’re mine.”

“One orgasm proves nothing.”

His nose pressed close to hers, eyes glittering hot. “Would you like another? My cock is more than willing.”

She lifted her chin. Took a centering breath. “This makes zero sense and you know it.”

“When I touch you, what do you feel?” Klaus said abruptly. Caroline blinked and he cupped her face, eyes narrowed. “You don’t flinch from me.”

Safe. The heat of him had pressed into her bones, had settled along her marrow and muscle. She’d never have allowed him to touch her, stroke her through an orgasm otherwise. He terrified her - this mate story left her cold - but him, standing between her and the rest of the world?

“I just met you,” Caroline tried desperately. “I’m obviously crazy, with the self-preservation of a nat. You told me twice now that you’ve thought about murdering me.”

Something soft flickered behind his eyes before they filled with iron. “If only I could, but that point has come and gone. So now the world must bear the cost of my paranoia. Tell me, sweetheart could you kill me?”

Her chest went tight, lungs freezing.

“As I thought. In the end, what either of us believe regarding this terrible bond doesn’t matter.” He eased her leg from his hip, smoothed the line of her skirt.

Caroline licked her lips. “Why doesn’t it matter?”

“We’ve both had a taste,” Klaus said, lips curling into a smile made of sin. “My wolf knows your scent, the heat of your arousal, the feel of your body clinging so desperately to mine. I know the grumpiness in your voice post-orgasm, when you should be boneless and content. Do you think your body, your mind will let you push me away? That you’ll be able to forget how I touch you, how I will touch you?”

“Maybe not,” Caroline said softly. “But sex is sex. You’re talking about… fate. A soul deep connection - that something outside of our awareness put us together. I’m supposed to believe that after a thousand years, I’m the one?”

“Yes.”

Caroline scoffed and he dimpled.

“I suppose we’ll just have to see. I’ll pick you up from school tomorrow.”

“Wait, what?”

Klaus reached down, hefted the remains of their meal. “You need to learn how to hunt properly.”

She spluttered but the edge behind his eyes stroked her. “Caroline - whatever this becomes, whatever this is now; I’ll not betray you, if you do not betray me. Remember that.”

Caroline stared at the empty alley. Chewed on her lower lip, uncertain. If it hadn’t been for the uncomfortable dampness to her panties, the lingering pleasure in her blood she’d almost have thought she’d dreamed the whole thing up. A thousand year old monster, crawling out of the woodwork to claim that she belonged to him - that they were mates. Squaring her shoulders, she flashed home.

The best option for this was to get drunk.

Very, very drunk.


End file.
